Cutaway Vest

ABSTRACT

A protective vest adapted for engagement with ballistic shielding is provided which allows a user to quickly and easily remove the vest by actuation of a release. The vest is designed to quickly separate from the body of a wearer when required by pulling a release handle by a minimal distance which opens one side of the vest for exit, but maintains the components of the vest connected to avoid loss and allow for easy re-engagement.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/101,904, filed on Jan. 9, 2015, which is incorporated hereinin its entirety by this reference thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed device relates to clothing worn for body protection. Moreparticularly, the device relates to body armor in the form of a vestworn by a user which includes compartmentalized armor or ballisticresistant shielding for the wearer. The disclosed device is configuredto be easily removable through hand-activated releases and communicatingcables operatively positioned within the device, in case of injury,falling into the water, or another need requiring an urgent and quickrelease of the vest from the torso of a wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ballistic resistant clothing in the form of vests is widely employed bymembers of the military and law enforcement as a critical piece ofprotective equipment against the perils of bullets, shrapnel, and otherhigh velocity projectiles. Such projectiles are perilous elementsencountered by members of the military and law enforcement on a regularbasis. For this reason, bullet and projectile-resistant vests areparticularly employed during military operations and law enforcementoperations where it is anticipated participants are highly likely toencounter ballistic projectiles such as bullets or shrapnel.

Such vests, conventionally house strategically positioned ballisticresistant shielding material around the torso of the wearer when worn.Such vests also provide pockets and attachment points for weapons, food,ammunition, and other devices which are commonly carried into the field.

Although conventional vests, due to easy attachment components, willallow the wearer to carry a great deal of equipment, and help shield thewearer, such a vests, fully loaded with the ballistic shielding alsowill act as a weight on the body of the wearer. By engaging attachedheavy ammunition and/or other supplies, such a vest can become asignificantly heavier component which is operatively engaged to theperson of a wearer during use in the field. This significant increase inweight when engaged to the wearer, becomes a major reason for concernabout the potential of drowning when a vest-wearer enters a waterenvironment of sufficient depth where they may have to swim.

Because such ballistic resistant and utility vests must securely attachto the user's body during use to prevent rattling, and chafing, and toprovide maximum shielding from ballistic projectiles, it is oftendifficult for the user to quickly and easily release the vest from theirperson. With some vests, due to the zippers buttons or other fastenerswhich must be disengaged, release from the body can be over a timeduration from seconds to minutes. With the weight of the vest andequipment pulling upon the wearer, during periods where the threat ofdrowning is a concern, such as a water landing of a helicopter or havingto cross a deep river, a means for quick release of such a vest becomesa lifesaver for the wearer. However such a release should not render thevest unusable subsequent to the drowning threat.

An additional concern arises should the wearer become wounded or injuredwhile wearing the vest. On such occasions, it is imperative thatarriving medical personnel have immediate access to the wearer's torso.Such is required for first responders to ascertain injuries and attendto the patient. However, many such vests, subsequent to activation of aquick release, disengage into a plurality of components which are noteasily reassembled. The inability to re-engage the vest subsequent toquick release, leaves the wearer subject to potential injury in a combatzone when being transported should the vest not be repositionable ontheir person. Absent a quick release, which maintains the structuralintegrity of the vest itself in a manner allowing for immediatere-engagement to the wearer, such is not possible.

Because body armor style vests are built for durability, they are bydesign, resistant to cutting and piercing. As such, conventionally, suchvests are hard to remove by cutting. Further, such vests, in addition tobeing expensive, are also a component of equipment that the wearer mustnot do without. Thus as noted, they should be easily engageable to thebody and easily removed subsequent to activating the release.

As a consequence, to save such vests from destruction, and to allow thevest to be re-engaged to the wearer, yet still allow for quick releasewhen required, it is important that such a protective vest be configuredwith a release mechanism which allows for easy, intuitive, and immediatevest removal, and an equally easy subsequent re-engagement. To that end,such a release should be readily accessible and be intuitive as toactivation to eliminate the need for fumbling around during releaseattempts when it might be dark or wet or submerged.

Military and law enforcement conventionally employ a “cutaway” vest,which allows the user or responding personnel, to remove the devicethrough a single action, such as pulling a ripcord. Upon such a ripcordpulling, the vest instantly disjoins into a plurality of individualsections of various components of the vest.

The existing designs for easily removable vests, however, have manydrawbacks. An example of the current cutaway style vest conventionallyemployed to be removable by the soldier without the requirement tounfasten belts and other typical retainers can be found in publishedU.S. Pat. No. 5,259,093 (D'Annunzio) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,570(Johnson).

These vests have conventional connectors to engage and disengage thevest from the body during normal mounting and dismounting. They alsoprovide cutaway releases employing a release component to disengage vestcomponents to remove the vest without having to unfasten a series ofbuckles, clips, hook and loop fasteners, and such. These vests, as withmost conventional cutaway vests, employ front and rear torso portions,whereas an internal cummerbund feature in the rear torso portion and awaist belt through both torso portions grip the user's waist.

Shoulder straps in such devices engage through connecting strap portionson the front torso portion to the strap portions on the rear torsoportion. Additionally, cables are routed in a serpentine path whosedistal end retains the shoulder straps, the cummerbund and the belt as aunit and which terminates at the ejection handle. A pulling of thishidden handle translates connected cables which causes a number ofinterconnected portions of the vest device to separate. This allows thevest to be removed from the wearer quickly, but in pieces.

As taught in the Johnson reference, the shoulder straps, cummerbund, andwaist belt are all joined at a singular common point such that pullingthe single cable in a generally straight line except for theaccommodation of the curvature of the body, disjoins its individualcomponents to form a plurality of disengaged components.

Although these devices allow for removal for medical personnel seekingaccess to the torso, and allow the wearer to quickly jettison their vestand connected heavy equipment, the multiple dislocating cummerbund, beltand fastening components cause a subsequent problem. During release theyare rendered difficult and time-consuming to reassemble, and componentsare easily lost or damaged, especially in the fog of battle, survival orrescue.

Thus, the vest cannot be easily remounted to the wearer, if at all.Further, the handles for effecting the release are not easily accessednor intuitive as to the action needed to release the vest should thesituation arise where it must be pulled without the ability to view thehandle or cable.

As the vests and their engaged equipment are often expensive, and asrecovery of the jacket and its components for repositioning on thewearer may be vital to wearer survival, it is imperative that reassemblyof disengaged vests be easy and simple. This is because in the quickdismount action of prior art in dismountable vests, the act initiating aquick dismount often causes a breaking of the vest into multiple smallcomponents and renders the vest useless to shield the wearer from attackduring mid-operation, medical treatment or transport.

Accordingly, there is an unmet need for a ballistic resistant cutawaystyle vest which requires a minimum number of engagement and releasepoints, to allow for a quick and simple dismount in an emergencysituation. Further, such a vest should be rendered removable byactivation of an easy to find rip cord or flexible member or cablesystem, with minimal user arm extension and no requirement foruncovering the gripped release prior to use. Still further, such a vestshould subsequent to a release, remain sufficiently intact to allow foreasy recovery, reassembly, and immediate reuse.

The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewithare intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not implyany limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Variouslimitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below andthe accompanying drawings.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective vestwhich can be quickly dismounted allowing the user to disengage.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide such a vestwhich allows the user to activate removal using minimal user arm or handextension.

It is a further object of this invention for the vest to be adjustableto tightly fit the user's torso when in an as-used position worn on thewearer.

It is yet another object of the present invention that the device remainsufficiently intact after user-activation of the release, to allow foreasy recovery, reassembly, and reuse.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide such a vest with aneasily found release which may be located tactually when situationsmight render the release non-visible such as in darkness or whensubmerged.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art,which will become apparent from the description to follow, areaccomplished by the improvements described in this specification andhereinafter described in the following detailed description which fullydiscloses the invention, but should not be considered as placinglimitations thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the objects and purposes of the present invention, asembodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides aballistic-shielding vest which is initially easily engaged to the torsoof the user in an as-used position. So positioned, it can be easily andquickly removed when required in an emergency situation, whilemaintaining the vest components sufficiently connected to be retrievableand quickly reusable.

The device, is formed in a vest assembly having a first shoulder strapand an a second shoulder strap such as the front left shoulder strap forengagement to the vest on a side opposite that of the first shoulderstrap. The main vest assembly is comprised of a vest front, which hastwo shoulder strap engagement points extending from opposing corners.

Likewise, the front right shoulder strap is made of two or more layersof fabric or otherwise has a formed pathway or channel which guides atranslating release cable as it translates during a pulling of a releasehandle to activate the release mechanisms within the main vest assembly.Of course those skilled in the art will realize a right hand positioningof the release can be reversed and routed to have the release on theopposite shoulder if such is required or desirable. Consequently, suchis considered within the scope of this application, which uses anddescribes the right-sided positioning for convenience of description ofthe operation of the vest.

The vest front also contains a first or left access flap and a second orright access flap which allows the user to access the release mechanismswithin which are activated by cable translation. Additionally, the vestincludes a back or rear right shoulder strap and a rear left shoulderstrap. Further, as shown, a left harness extends from the right side ofthe vest rear, and terminates with one or more band loops.

The vest front and back surfaces preferably should include an array ofattached loops, or engagement points, to allow the user to fasten anynecessary tools, gear, weapons, and other components to the vest device.The components forming the main vest assembly, may be optionallydislocatable to easily replace and repair the various components butshould remain sufficiently engaged during distress or activation of therelease mechanism of the device.

The front left or first shoulder strap, which contains a first or leftsecurement band, and one or more shoulder strap loops, may be a separateand removable component from the main vest assembly.

The device is configurable for user wear in one mode by wrapping theright securement band around the back right shoulder strap to affix itto the front right shoulder strap. In another mode the components whichare separable using velcro can be separated from the front portion ofthe vest, to allow it to flip up should access to the chest of thewearer be necessary.

Similarly, the left securement band wraps around the back left shoulderstrap to affix it to the front left shoulder strap.

Finally, the front left shoulder strap is inserted through an openingbetween the upper and lower sheets on the front portion of the vest, andthe shoulder strap loop is inserted through a release link, which isaffixed in a position for pulling upon the vest front.

Attaching the shoulder strap before or after threading the first distalend of the release cable into the guide channel through the shoulderstrap loop, and over the release link, engages the left shoulder strapto the vest front.

To eject from the vest using the release mechanism as described, a userpulls the release handle to translate a flexible member or cable toactuate a first release. Translating the flexible member or cable adistance slightly greater than a length of an engaged first release linkactuates the connection to release. This translation acts to slide adistal end out of contact with the opposing shoulder strap loop. Sodisengaged, the right shoulder of the assembled vest is free from theconstraints and the over the shoulder support strap is therebydisengaged.

Although the shoulder strap loop disengages from the vest front duringuser initiated ejection, the left securement band of the front leftshoulder strap remains fastened to the back left shoulder strap unlessphysically detached by breaking a hook and loop engagement. Maintainingthis removable engagement after an emergency release, insures the deviceremains whole and sufficiently intact for post-situational recovery andre-engagement.

After inserting the left harness through a second opening between theupper and lower sheets, the user may align and insert a cable-engagedrelease pin through one of the band loops and one set of the vest loopspositioned in the rear vest panel. A slit in the front surface of therear vest panel can be opened to allow the user access for assembly andreassembly of the release pin with the vest and the individualencircling harness components. The opening can also be sealed to protectthe contents within.

A second release pin engaged to a second distal end engaged with theflexible member or cable, will also translates during a pulling of therelease handle a distance equal to the length of the second release pin.This action will translate the second release pin out an engagement tothe vest loops and the band loops and allow disengagement of the leftharness and/or the right harness from the rear portion of the vest.

The device can adjust to tightly fit against a user's torso by allowingthe user to set the shoulder strap length via the left and rightsecurement bands formed of hook and loop fabric. Additionally, the usercan tighten the device about their hips through selection of vest loopsand band loops, and positioning of an engagement of hook and loopfabric, or alternatively through additional tightening straps in theleft or right harness.

The right and left securement bands can employ one or a combination ofmeans for engagement with the rear right shoulder strap and the rearleft shoulder strap respectively, including but not limited to: hook andloop fasteners, buttons, snaps, elastics, drawstrings, or loops.

Additionally, means for securing the left access flap and a right accessflap to the vest front can include but is not limited to: hook and loopfasteners, buttons, snaps, elastics, drawstrings or loops. Opening andsealing of the slit in the vest rear panel can be performed by one or acombination of the following known mechanisms including but not limitedto: zippers, hook and loop fasteners, slides, ties, buttons,drawstrings, snaps, or elastics. The release link and release pin can becomposed of metal or any durable plastic including but not limited to:delrin, polycarbonate, polypropylene, or acrylic.

Additionally, the release cable should be made of any one or acombination of durable materials which are sufficiently flexibly rigidand which contain sufficient friction to ensure continuous engagementbetween the shoulder strap loop 40 and the release link when the deviceis worn through common use, including but not limited to: plastic wire,steel wire, copper wire or other wires with or without a coating.

Additional fasteners can be employed to loop and splice the releasecable including one or a combination of crimps, ferrules, ties oradhesives.

With respect to the above description, before explaining at least onepreferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and to the arrangement of the components inthe following description or illustrated in the drawings. The deviceherein described and disclosed in the various modes and combinations isalso capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried outin various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Anysuch alternative configuration as would occur to those skilled in theart is considered within the scope of this patent. Also, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are forthe purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conceptionupon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basisfor designing of other ejecting utility vests for carrying out theseveral purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstruction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from thespirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a partof the specification, illustrate some, but not the only nor exclusiveexamples of embodiments and/or features of the disclosed device. It isintended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to beconsidered illustrative of the invention herein, rather than limiting inany fashion. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts an overhead view of the device in a semi unassembledstate.

FIG. 1b shows the device of FIG. 1 in a disassembled state.

FIG. 2 displays a view of a rear panel of the vest assembly of thedevice as worn by a user showing both shoulder straps extended andadapted for a frontal connection to mating straps extending from a frontpanel.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the first release mechanism operativelypositioned in the front panel and adapted for pulling by a wearer orresponder to disengage only the opposing shoulder and showing in dottedlines a second flexible member or cable communicating with the releasemechanism in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 depicts a detailed view of the second release mechanism employedto disengage one, side waist panels from the rear panel if needed whileleaving the other engaged.

FIG. 5 depicts the vest device herein, assembled and employable in anas-used configuration, with the release handle positioned on orextending adjacent one of the shoulder straps.

FIG. 6 shows the device of FIG. 5, after activation of the releasehandle, depicting one shoulder strap released and the harness on thesame side as the released shoulder strap, also being released, therebyforming an exit path from the formed vest, and back into the vest,through one side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-6, wherein similar components areidentified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1, anoverhead view of the vest or device 10, in an unfolded andsemi-disassembled configuration. As shown, a main vest assembly 11comprised of a rear vest 12 panel and a front vest 22 panel connected bya first harness 20. Also shown is a rear portion 16 of a first shoulderstrap extending from the top of the rear vest 12 panel. A distal end ofthe rear portion 16 of the first should strap, includes a securementband 18 to engage it to a front portion 24 of a first shoulder strap.The first harness 20 extends from a distal end engagement with the rearvest 12 and is joined to the front vest 22.

The rear vest 12 panel is comprised of two or more layers of fabric,whereas the backmost layer is adjacent the back of the wearer. A slit 44provides access to an interior cavity which can be sealed to secure andprotect the release mechanisms within the cavity when not beingaccessed.

Likewise, the rear portion 16 of the first shoulder strap is made of twoor more layers of fabric, or employs other means for forming a channelor pathway for translation of the release cable 44 therein, when pulledby the release handle 32. Translation of the cable 44 causes two releasemechanisms within the main vest assembly 11 to disconnect a distal endof one rear portion of one shoulder strap 36 from the rear vest 12, andto disconnect one harness, on the same side of the vest device 10 as thereleased shoulder strap, to disengage from the rear vest 12, and formthe opening or exit 15, as in FIG. 6.

The rear vest 12 panel also contains a first access flap 46 and a secondaccess flap 48 which allows the user to access the release mechanismsfor the distal end of the first shoulder strap and distal end of theharness, within. These flaps are engaged with hook and loop attachmentsor other means for secure but removable engagement.

The vest front 22 panel contains a front portion of a first or rightshoulder strap 24, and a front portion of a second or left shoulderstrap 26. A waist-positionable first harness 28, extends from the oneside of the vest front 22 panel and terminates with one or more bandloops 30 which are engageable with a cable or cable released connectorin a cavity on the rear vest 12 panel. The vest front and rear panels 22and 12, both preferably include an array of gear loops 34 to allow theuser to fasten any necessary tools to the device 10.

The vest assembly 11 components can be optionally dislocatable for easyreplacement and repair. However, the vest device 10 is also designed tomaintain attachment of the components during distress or activation ofthe device's 10 release mechanism. This novel configuration is shown inFIG. 6, wherein only one shoulder strap and one, or both harnesses 20and 28 are disengaged at their respective distal ends from connection tothe rear vest 22 panel. The distal ends of both the first harness andsecond harness 20 and 28, are configured to disengage from the rear vest22 panel upon translation of the cable by pulling the handle 32. Thedevice 10 can be configured to have only one such harness release, andif so, it will be the harness 20 or 28, on the same side as the shoulderstrap which is released by pulling the handle 32. Otherwise both distalends of both the first and second harness 20 and 28 can release.

The rear portion of the left shoulder strap 36 which engages to thefront portion of the strap 26, forms one shoulder strap which engagesthe distal end of the rear portion of the left shoulder strap 36 withthe rear vest 12 panel. The shoulder strap so formed, includes a leftsecurement band 38, and one or more shoulder strap loops 40 at thedistal end which engage with either the cable or a release connected tothe cable 42. This rear portion of the strap 36 is thus a separable andremovable component from the main vest assembly 11 if desired, such asin FIG. 1, but will maintain a connection once the distal end isdisengaged by the cable 42, if the securement band 38 is left secured.Of course it could just be a once piece shoulder strap with the loops 40or other component adapted to release from the rear upon cable 42translation.

In FIG. 1b is shown the front vest 22 panel depicting engagements ofcomponents of the device 10 thereto which can remain engaged during anemergency and allow partial disengagement such as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6,or can be totally disengaged for replacement or other reasons.

As shown a cover panel 15 has hook or loop fabric 17 positioned on onefrontal edge and the rear surface. The edge hook or loop fabric 17engages with a strip positioned above an attachment of the two harnesses20 and 28 to the front vest 22 panel. The rear surface of the coverpanel 15 engages with the mating hook and loop fabric 17 positioned onthe distal ends of the two harnesses 20 and 28, and on the front vest 22panel itself. The hook or loop fabric 17 on the distal ends of the twoharnesses 20 and 28 engages to mating hook or loop fabric 17 on the vestfront 22 panel to which the cover panel 15 also engages.

This configuration of the secure but disengageable cover panel 15,provides an extremely secure sandwiched hook and loop fabric 17engagement of the front engaging distal ends of the harnesses 20 and 28during use of the vest. However, if for some reason disassembly isrequired, other than the release of the shoulder attachment and therear-engagement of one or both distal ends of harnesses 20 and 28, suchis easily accomplished by separating the hook and loop engagement of thecover panel 15, and then removing the hook and loop engagement of thedistal ends of the harnesses 20 and 28.

The assembled device 10 is seen from the rear in FIG. 2, and from thefront in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the first securement band 16 wrapsaround the front portion of one shoulder strap 26 on the right, to affixit to the front portion of the should strap 14, shown on the right.Similarly, the left securement band 38 wraps around the front portion 26to form the left shoulder strap 24 to configure it to hang upon thefront left shoulder strap 36 along with a hook and loop fabricconnection. As noted, the configuration to form a releasable shoulderstrap can be formed to make either releasable, and the depiction showingthe right shoulder strap being releasable can be reversed.

FIG. 2 also displays a pathway of the release cable 42 as it extendsfrom the release handle 32 which as depicted in this mode, would bepositioned on one of the shoulder straps such as on the front leftshoulder strap, once connected by the securement band 16 however thiscould be reversed. Thereafter the handle 32 may be used to translate thecable 42 and activate one or both release mechanisms within todisconnect the distal end of one shoulder strap from the rear vest 12panel, and at least the one of the harnesses 20 or 28 on the same sideof the vest device 10 as the released shoulder strap.

To configure the device 10 to be worn by a user, per FIG. 3 or forexample FIG. 5, the left rear portion of the shoulder strap 36 engagedto the rear vest 12 panel is inserted through an opening in the shoulderarea of the front vest 22 and a releasable component such as theshoulder strap loop 40 at the distal end of the front portion 36 of theshoulder strap, is engaged with through a release link 50, connected tothe front vest 22 panel.

Threading the release cable 42 at a first distal end, into a guidechannel 52 sewn into the vest front 22, to communicate through theshoulder strap loop 40, and over the release link 50, removably engagesthe from portion of the shoulder strap 36 to the vest front 22 in afirst releasable engagement. To release this engagement from vest usingthe first release mechanism as described, a user pulls the releasehandle 32 by a which slides a first distal end of the release cable 42out of the shoulder strap loop 40. This releases one of the two formedshoulder straps from engagement over the user's shoulder, and allowsaccess and exit therethrough.

Although the shoulder strap loop 40 disengages from the vest front 22from formed shoulder strap during user-initiated activation, the frontleft shoulder left securement band 38 remains fastened to the rearportion of the formed shoulder strap, to ensure that components of thedevice 10 remains connected and intact for post-situational recovery.

FIG. 4 displays the mechanism which joins one harness, such as the leftharness 28 to the vest 12 panel. After inserting the wrap around harness28 through a second opening between the rear vest 22 upper and lowerlayers the user aligns, and inserts a releasable connector such as thepin 56, through, one or both of the band loops 30, at the distal end ofthe harness. If both distal ends of both harnesses 20 and 28 are todisconnect, the pin 56 will engage at least one band loop 30 on eachdistal end of each harness, and engage them to the rear vest 22 panel.

A slit 44 in the rear vest 12 facing layer can be opened to allow forassembly and reassembly, of the release shown. The slit 44 can then besealed using a closure such as a zipper or hook and loop fabric toprotect the contents within.

As the release pin 56, is connected to or translated by the seconddistal end of the cable 42, pulling the release handle 32 by a distanceequal to the length of the release pin 56, translates the release pin 56out of the vest loops 54 and the band loops 30, to disengage one harnesssuch as the left harness 28, and if so engaged, the other harness suchas the right harness 20 from the rear vest 12 panel.

The device 10 can adjust to tightly fit against a user's torso byallowing the user to set the shoulder strap length via the left andfirst securement bands 38, and hook and loop engagements between thefront and rear strap portions. Additionally, the user can tighten thedevice 10 about their hips through selection of vest loops 54 and bandloops 30, or alternatively through additional tightening straps in theleft or right harness 28, 20. Further adjustment can be hand with theharness portions by mounting the distal ends shown in FIG. 1a , indifferent positions.

The first and second or right and left and securement bands 16, and 38,can employ one or a combination of means to engage with the frontportions and the back rear portions of the shoulder straps, includingconnectors from a group including one or a combination of hook and loopfasteners, buttons, snaps, elastics, drawstrings, or loops.

Additionally, means for securing the first access flap 46 and a secondaccess flap 48 to the rear strap portions can include one or acombination of fasteners from a group including hook and loop fasteners,buttons, snaps, elastics, drawstrings or loops. Opening and sealing ofthe slit 44 in the vest front 22 can be performed by one or acombination of the following known mechanisms including but not limitedto: zippers, hook and loop fasteners, slides, ties, buttons,drawstrings, snaps, or elastics.

The release link 50 and release pin 56 can be composed of any metal or adurable plastic such as nylon, delrin, polycarbonate, polypropylene,acrylic or another polymer material. Additionally, the flexible memberforming the release cable 42 can be formed of any one or a combinationof flexible member materials which are sufficiently non-elastic andwhich contain sufficient friction to ensure continuous engagementbetween the shoulder strap loop 40 and the release link 50 when thedevice is worn. Such flexible member materials can include one or acombination of member materials from a group including polymericmaterial, plastic, metal, or flexible member material Additionalfasteners can be employed to loop and splice the release cable 42including one or a combination of crimps, ferrules, ties or adhesives.

Shown in FIG. 5, is a graphic depiction of the vest device 10 herein,assembled and employable in an as-used configuration showing that therelease handle 32 can be employed on either side of the vest device 10as a means to disengage one shoulder strap and one harness 28 from theirattachment to the vest device 10 on the same side, to form an opening 15adapted for an exit or entrance to the device 10 from that side. Asshown the release handle 32 which translates the release cable 42, ispositioned for easy grasping on or extending adjacent one of theshoulder straps which in this case is on the left side of the vestdevice 10. A pulling of the handle 32 as noted translates the cable 42to disengage a distal end of one shoulder strap 36 and a distal end ofat least one harness 20 on the same side of the device 10 and thewearer's body, thus allowing egress and ingress to the device 10 fromthat opening 15 on the opened side.

In FIG. 6 is shown the means for easy removal and re-engagement thedevice 10 herein provides, depicting the device 10 after activation ofthe release by a pulling of the release handle 32 to translate therelease cable 42. As shown, once the release handle 32 is pulled, afirst distal end of the cable 42 10 disengages one shoulder strap, and asecond distal end of the cable 42 translates and disengages at least oneharness from the engagement with the rear panel, to open one side of thevest device 10. As shown in FIG. 6, one shoulder strap has been releasedat a distal end engaged with the from portion of the vest, and oneharness has been disengaged from a distal end attachment to the rearpanel of the vest device 10 thereby allowing the shoulder strap andharness to be released at their distal ends to form an exit 15, in thisexample, through the right side of the formed vest device 10 of FIGS.5-6.

As noted the opposite shoulder strap and harness could also be activatedby a pull of the handle 32 to cause the distal ends of the cable 42 torelease them, and thereby form an exit path, and re-engagement path,through the left side of the vest device 10 of FIGS. 5 and 6. Theimportant structure being that a shoulder strap and at least one harnessbe released, with both on the same side of the formed vest device 10, toallow for easy exit therefrom in an emergency, and easy re-engagementtherethrough of the wearer once appropriate.

As noted, any of the different configurations and components can beemployed with any other configuration or component shown and describedherein. Additionally, while the present invention has been describedherein with reference to particular embodiments thereof and steps in themethod of production, a latitude of modifications, various changes andsubstitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, it will beappreciated that in some instance some features, or configurations, orsteps in formation of the invention could be employed without acorresponding use of other features without departing from the scope ofthe invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes,alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in theart are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadlydefined in the appended claims.

Further, the purpose of any abstract of this specification is to enablethe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the public generally, andespecially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art whoare not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determinequickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of thetechnical disclosure of the application. Any such abstract is neitherintended to define the invention of the application, which is measuredby the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting, as to the scope of theinvention in any way.

What is claimed is:
 1. A protective vest comprising: a front panel, saidfront panel adapted for engagement of ballistic shielding therein; arear panel, said rear panel adapted for engagement of said ballisticshielding therein; a first shoulder strap engaged between said frontpanel and said rear panel, said first shoulder strap adapted to supportsaid protective vest on a first shoulder of a wearer; a second shoulderstrap engaged between said front panel and said rear panel, saidshoulder strap adapted to support said protective vest on a secondshoulder of a wearer, opposite said first shoulder; a first harnessengaged between a lower portion of said front panel on a first side ofsaid protective vest and a lower portion of said rear panel on saidfirst side of said protective vest; a second harness engaged betweensaid lower end of said front panel on a second side of said protectivevest and a lower portion of said rear panel on said second side of saidprotective vest; said first side of said protective vest being oppositesaid second side of said protective vest; a release handle operativelypositioned upon said front panel of said vest, said release handleactuatable to disconnect one of said first shoulder strap or said secondshoulder strap from engagement with said front panel; and said releasehandle actuatable to disconnect one of said first harness or said secondharness from engagement with said rear panel, said one of said firstharness or second harness being positioned on a same side of saidprotective vest, as said one of said first shoulder strap or secondshoulder strap; and whereby said wearer of said protective vest can exitsaid protective vest through an opening formed between said front paneland said rear panel on said same side of said protective vest as saidone of said first shoulder strap or second shoulder strap released byactuation of said release handle.
 2. The protective vest of claim 1,additionally comprising: said release handle actuatable to disconnectboth of said first harness and said second harness from engagement withsaid rear panel.
 3. The protective vest of claim 1, additionallycomprising: said release handle engaged with a flexible member having afirst distal end and a second distal end; actuation of said releasehandle communicating a translation to both said first distal end andsaid second distal end; said translation of said first distal enddisconnecting said one of said first shoulder strap or said secondshoulder strap from said engagement with said front panel; and saidtranslation of said second distal end disconnecting said one of saidfirst harness or said second harness from said engagement with said rearpanel.
 4. The protective vest of claim 2, additionally comprising: saidrelease handle engaged with a flexible member having a first distal endand a second distal end; actuation of said release handle communicatinga translation to both said first distal end and said second distal end;said translation of said first distal end disconnecting said one of saidfirst shoulder strap or said second shoulder strap from said engagementwith said front panel; and said translation of said second distal enddisconnecting both said first harness or said second harness from saidengagements with said rear panel.
 5. The protective vest of claim 3,additionally comprising: said first harness having a loop at a distalend; said second harness having a loop at a distal end; said seconddistal end of said flexible member having a first position engagedthrough a passage in said rear panel and concurrently engaged with aloop in a distal end of said one of said first harness or said secondharness; said translation of said second distal end of said flexiblemember moving it to a second position disconnected from said loop. 6.The protective vest of claim 4, additionally comprising: said firstharness having a loop at a distal end; said second harness having a loopat a distal end; said second distal end of said flexible member having afirst position engaged through a passage in said rear panel andconcurrently engaged with said loop at said distal end of said firstharness and with said loop at said distal end of said second harness;and said translation of said second distal end of said flexible membermoving it to a second position disconnected from both said said loop atsaid distal end of said first harness and said loop at said distal endof said second harness.